Programming in groups: developing industry-facing software development skills in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum

Article


Jones, M. and Megeney, A. 2020. Programming in groups: developing industry-facing software development skills in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. MSOR Connections. 18 (2), pp. 18-24. https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v18i2.1087
TypeArticle
TitleProgramming in groups: developing industry-facing software development skills in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum
AuthorsJones, M. and Megeney, A.
Abstract

Programming is increasingly becoming an expected graduate skill for mathematics students. We argue in this article that programming should be given the same priority as any other graduate skill. Given the practical and philosophical constraints placed on undergraduate mathematics curricula, however, we acknowledge the difficulty in introducing, in a meaningful way, many of the core ideas of programming. We therefore present a case study of a second year course on an undergraduate mathematics programme that introduces Object Oriented Programming and aspects of software design, as well as key practical skill such as version control. We will argue that group assessment in this context is a more natural setting for students to be working and reflects more closely the experience of programming in industry; furthermore, it serves as a convenient platform to introduce students to aspects of software design and practical programming considerations. We will present an example of the type of assessment that can be used and how Version Control Systems like Git can be used to give students a more realistic experience of programming with the advantage of allowing tutors and other group members to track student work.

KeywordsProgramming; Group assessment; Employability; Graduate Skills
PublisherUniversity of Greenwich
JournalMSOR Connections
ISSN1473-4869
Electronic2051-4220
Publication dates
Online09 Jul 2020
Print09 Jul 2020
Publication process dates
Deposited12 May 2020
Accepted07 May 2020
Output statusPublished
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Open
Copyright Statement

The copyright of articles will remain with the author(s).
The article was first published in MSOR Connections: Jones, M. M., & Megeney, A. (2020). Programming in Groups: developing industry-facing software development skills in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. MSOR Connections, 18(2), 18–24. https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v18i2.1087
The published article is reproduced in the Middlesex University Research Repository with permission.

MSOR Connections Open Access Policy: This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Additional information

Special issue on programming in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v18i2.1087
LanguageEnglish
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https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/88ywv

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